In some ways, this 1968 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe seemed unusually ready for the decade was to come. It was a new model for 1968, featuring a Caprice-like roofline; additionally, our featured Impala has Ash Gold paint and a black vinyl top, both of which would remain in style as the 1960s became the 1970s. Barn Finder T.J. found this extremely nice survivor here on Marketplace in Pickens, South Carolina, with an asking price of $28,000. That price seems high for a car that has “no power options,” but on the other hand, it has its original paint, original vinyl top, only 41,000 miles, and most importantly, “no rust.”
When the seller says that his Impala has no power options, he means it. It has the basic 200-horsepower 307 small-block, which was new for 1968, but it also lacks power steering or power brakes, let alone something as expensive as air conditioning. Be that as it may, the detailing of this engine compartment is impeccable, at least in pictures. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a basic Impala dressed out so nicely.
Look at the finish on the exhaust manifolds, the alternator, the master cylinder—it’s exquisite. The brake lines look new, too, but I want to point out a few more areas of interest under the hood before moving on. First, this car has an air pump, which was standard on any 1968 full-size Chevrolet with a manual transmission, and although the Marketplace advertisement labels this car as having an automatic, I can see a clutch Z-bar at the lower-right-hand corner of this picture.
And in some pictures, such as this one, I can see a clutch pedal, so this appears to be a 307/three-speed Impala Custom Coupe, which couldn’t have been a common combination. The all-vinyl upholstery was available in gold, seen here, and it’s in immaculate condition. Even the clear plastic floor mat appears to have walked straight out of Western Auto, circa 1971.
If there were any doubts about the transmission, this image of the column shift should dispel them; not to mention, we can get a better view of that clutch pedal. I for one love the dashboards of big Chevrolets of the late 1960s, with their big fonts and sporty steering wheels.
The seller has posted no pictures of the undercarriage, but given the condition of the trunk floor, this car seems to be one of those unicorns: a basic run-of-the-mill car that someone for some reason babied its whole life. What a find.
This car reminds me of my neighborhood in the late 1980s: I was a middle-school car kid, and someone a few blocks away had a white 1968 Impala Custom Coupe with sinister red “427” badges on the front fenders. This car’s “307” badges won’t evoke the same emotions, but the blackwall tires, basic hubcaps, and original condition make this an Impala I’d nonetheless love to have in my garage.
What a blast from the past. Nice one, Aaron and T.J.! My dad’s uncle had this exact car: a two-door, same color, same engine, everything – except that he had the seats reupholstered with velour inserts. Being a Minnesota car, the frame was so rusty after only a decade or so that it actually broke. He had it “fixed,” which lasted for a few months before breaking again. My dad dragged it up to our place (in the early ’80s), and it sat outside in the woods for decades. It was still sitting outside in the weeds until about a decade ago, when my mom had it hauled away. A sad ending to a cool car.
I,d leave the 307 fender badges and install a Shafiroff all alloy 615 low deck engine ..
The 307 is not a lost cause in the HP and torque arena. While limited by a small 3.875 inch bore it responds well to performance heads, increased compression, better camshafts and improved induction. Go with a .030 over bore with 10:1 ported 58cc heads, a larger cam (.500+ lift) and a 650 carb can get you near 350 HP. It would be a real revver as well, which would prompt me to add a Muncie M22 Rock Crusher and .411 gearing. Add headers, duals and maybe some wider rear rims and tires, but painted same as is and you would have yourself a real sleeper here. I would also have to go with vintage air, power front discs and power steering.